Heremetic refrigeration compressor

ABSTRACT

A hermetic refrigeration compressor wherein flow guiding means are provided to direct suction gas and oil mixture onto and through the electric motor prior to introducing the gas into the compressing cylinders is disclosed wherein the oil may be better separated and separately returned to its sump, the electric motor cooled and the gas is better vaporized. A spring mounted vertical disposed compressor is disclosed of the same type of that of U.S. application Ser. No. 889,104 wherein a conduit, comprising a shroud and flexible sleeve, guides the input suction gases from the inlet connection to the motor. The flexible sleeve also aids in the mounting of the unit and serves to dampen vibration.

HEREMETIC REFRIGERATION COMPRESSOR Inventor: Robert S. Vaughn, SpringGarden Twp., Pa.

Corporation,

[73] Assignee: Borg-Warner Chicago, Ill.

Filed: Sept. 30, 1970 Appl. No.: 76,939

[52] US. Cl. ..417/371, 417/363, 417/902 Field of Search ..4l7/363, 371,312, 902

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 10/1958 Philipp- ..417/363 2/1938Faber ..417/312 3/1965 Cramer etal ..417/371 Int. Cl ..F04b 17/00, F04b35/00, F04b 39/02 [451 Sept. 5, 1972 [57] ABSTRACT A hermeticrefrigeration compressor wherein flow guiding means are provided todirect suction gas and oil mixture onto and through the electric motorprior to introducing the gas into the compressing cylinders is disclosedwherein the oil may be better separated and separately returned to itssump, the electric motor cooled and the gas is better vaporized. Aspring mounted vertical disposed compressor is disclosed of the sametype of that of US. application Ser. No. 889,104 wherein a conduit,comprising a shroud and flexible sleeve, guides the input suction gasesfrom the inlet connection to the motor. The flexible sleeve also aids inthe mounting of the unit and serves to dampen vibration.

HEREMETIC REFRIGERATION COMPRESSOR FIELD OF THE INVENTION The presentinvention relates to hermetic refrigeration compressors and isespecially concerned with internally sprung electric poweredreciprocating hermetic compressors.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Hermetic compressors are commerciallyemployed in refrigeration equipment such as that used in large capacityair conditioning. These compressors are normally driven by an electricmotor which is itself sealed in the refrigerant containing enclosure.Normally two dome segments are joined together to enclose a spherical orelongated spheroid volume in which the motor and compressing mechanismare mounted. Suction gas is conventionally discharged directly into thehousing to occupy the volume before being ingested into the ports andchambers leading to the compressing mechanism.

As is true for all electric motors, those sealed into the hermeticcompressor produce heat during operation. The ability to dissipate thisheat effects both the size and type of motor to be employed and itsoperating efficiency. It is a primary object of the present invention toprovide for improved heat dissipation for the electric motor of hermeticcompressors and especially for those that are spring mounted.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention encompasses in theenvironment of a hermetic compressor of the type referred to above, theimprovement comprising means coupled between the suction gas input andthe electric motor for guiding at least the major part of the suctiongas flowing from the input to, about through the electric motor prior toentering of said gas into the compressing mechanism. The suction gasthereby serves to cool the motor and allow it to operate moreefficiently.

The present invention is incidentally disclosed, in part, but notclaimed, in the co-pending US. Pat. application Ser. No. 889,104, filedDec. 30, 1969 of the joint inventors: F. Michael Laucks and Robert S.Vaughn (the sole inventor of the present application), which co-pendingapplication is currently entitled Hermetic Compressor and is assigned toBorg-Warner Corp., the assignee .of the present application. Forbrevity, the drawings and detailed description of that co-pendingapplication are hereby incorporated by reference as if fully set outherein under the practice authorized by the Commissioner of Patents inthe announcement dated Jan. 15, 1969 and published at 34 FederalRegister 883 (859 O.G. 346).

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The The present invention, togetherwith the further advantages thereof, may best be understood by referenceto the following description taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawing.

The sole FIGURE, FIG. 1' is a modification of FIG. 1 of theaforementioned, and incorporated by reference, patent application, andis generally a sectional view of a hermetic compressor constructed inaccordance with the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION The compressor is generally designated by thenumeral 9 and includes a shell or housing 10 in which an electric motor24 and compressing mechanism 18 coupled thereto are mounted. The motor24 includes a stator 34 and rotor 36. The rotor 36 drives a crank shaft28. The compressing mechanism 18 is of the positive displacementhorizontal piston type, whose pistons are driven by theshaft 28. Thecompressing mechanism 18 and motor 24 are vertically mounted to theinner walls of the housing 10 by a plurality of spring mounts 70. Asuction gas inlet connection 16 is provided into the housing 10 and anoutlet connection 200 from compressed discharge lines 68 and the housing10 is provided.

In accordance with the present invention, means, a conduit, generallydesignated 210, is provided for guiding at least the major part andpreferably all of the suction gas from the inlet 16 to and over themotor 24, prior to that gas reaching the compressing mechanism. Thisconduit 210 includes a shroud 38 covering the upper part of the motor24. The shroud 38 connects, as indicated at 209, with upstanding,generally cylindrical, walls 211 from the housing of the compressingmechanism 18, to substantially enclose the motor 24. An opening 238 isprovided at the top of the shroud 38 and a flexible sleeve 220, whichalso comprises part of the conduit or guide means 210, connects thatopening to the inlet 16. The sleeve 220 is tightly bound to acylindrical surface 381 of the shroud 38 to move with that member.

The sleeve 220 is preferably made of neoprene, an other elastomer, orother material compatible with the oil-refrigerant environment. Aflexible convoluted metal coupling also may be employed. The sleeve 220mates with a cylindrical depending flange surface 221 of inlet 16against which it may move vertically in a limited telescoping action inresponse to movement of the motor-compressing mechanism on its mounts70.

The guide means 210 thus serve to direct the cooling suction gas to andover the electric motor and serve to lessen transfer of heat from therelatively hot portions of the compressor: the cylinders 23, themufflers 66 and discharge line 68. The effect is to run the motor 24 ata lower temperature than the just mentioned. components. Since heat isdissipated through the housing 10 to which these components arejuxtaposed, their higher temperature is acceptable.

OPERATION In operation, relatively cool suction gas is taken from theinlet 16 and guided over and around the rotor 36 and stator 34 of motor24 by means of the sleeve 220 and shroud 38. There it takes on heat andcools the motor windings. Any liquid droplets of refrigerant are causedto vaporize by the added heat. The heavier oil droplets collect at anintermediate zone 225 from which they pass via passageways, such as thepassageway 236, to the area of the crank shaft 28 or else viapassageways, such as the passageway 227, to the area between themechanism 18 and its housing 10 to ultimately collect in the oil sump atthe housings bottom.

The suction gas after passing to positions that are es sentiallydownstream from motor 24 is drawn into the input ports 40 forcompressing in cylinders 23.

in response to movement of the compressing mechanism on its springmounts the flexible sleeve 220 flexes and telescopes up and downrelative to the surface 221 of the inlet fixture 16. The other sectionof the guide means 210, the shroud 38, also flexes to a lesser degree toaccommodate motion of the compressor mechanism 18. Thus, the guide means210 serves not only to improve the performance of the compressor bycooling the motor 24 and achieving a better separation between gas andoil, but also serves as an aid to the suspending and stabilization ofthe compressor mechanism 18 and as a vibration damper and noisesuppressor.

The guide means need confine only a major part of the suction gas to beefiective, although it would be desirable to guide all of the suctiongases to the motor 24. As the suction gas is in communication with bothsides of the sleeve 220 and shroud 38, there is only a small pressuredifference and consequently only a reasonably loose fit between, forexample, the sleeve 22) and the surface 221 need be used to achieve flowof the major part of the suction gas over the motor winding.

As should now be apparent a new and improved hermetic refrigerationcompressor has been described which has improved provision for electricmotor heat dissipation, separation of oil and suction gas and alsoprovides for vibration damping.

While for definiteness the present invention has been described in apreferred embodiment of a generally vertically disposed positivedisplacement hermetic refrigeration compressonit should be understoodthat the principles of the present invention may be applied to othertypes of hermetic refrigeration compressors including, but not limitedto, the generally horizontally disposed positive displacement hermeticrefrigeration compressor.

While a particular embodiment of the invention have been shown anddescribed, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that changesand modifications may be made without departing from the invention inits broader aspects and, therefore, the aim in the appended claims is tocover all such changes and modifications as fall within the true scopeof the invention.

What is claimed is:

l. In a hermetic refrigeration compressor of the type having a closedhousing with a suction gas inlet and a compressed gas outlet therefrom,a compressing mechanism mounted in the housing and having an outputwhich is coupled to the housing outlet, and an electric motor alsomounted within the housing and coupled to drive the compressingmechanism and where the compressing mechanism is spring mounted, theimprovement comprising:

guide means within said housing for guiding during operation at least amajor part of the suction gas from the housing suction gas inlet to andthrough the electric motor prior to the flow of such gas to thecompressing mechanism, and

said guide means including a flexible gas transfer coupling forabsorbing vibration and movement;

said guide means includes a flexible sleeve as said gas transfercoupling, and a shroud over said motor, which shroud is connected tosaid sleeve and to the compressing mechanism to substantially enclosesaid motor,

whereby the electric motor is cooled during operation by the suctiongas.

2. The improvement as defined in claim 1, for a generally verticallydisposed hermetic refrigeration compressor, wherein:

said flexible sleeve is mounted generally vertically and coupled withthe housing suction gas inlet for telescopic motion therewith inresponse to vertical motion of said sprung compressing mechanism.

3. The improvement as defined in claim 2, wherein:

said flexible sleeve is of a hollow cylindrical configuration and isconstructed of an oil and refrigerant resistant elastomer.

4. A hermetic refrigeration compressor for an air conditioningrefrigeration system comprising, in combination:

a housing (10) in the form of a closed and sealed shell having a suctiongas inlet (16) and a compressed gas outlet (2M9);

an electric motor (24) comprising a rotor (36) and stator (34), mountedwithin said housing;

a compressing mechanism (18) of the positive displacement type withinsaid housing and having a driven crank shaft (28) which is driven by therotor of said motor, a compressed gas outlet coupled to said housingoutlet and a suction gas inlet;

a plurality of spring mounts for mounting said compressing mechanism andsaid motor within said housing; and

a conduit (210, 211) disposed within said housing between said housinginlet and said compressing mechanism and enshrouding said motor, saidconduit serving to guide, during operation, suction gas from saidhousing inlet to said motor;

said compressing mechanism and said conduit being cooperatively disposedso as to have said compressing mechanisms gas inlet as well aspassageways to the volume between said compressing mechanism and saidhousing beyond said motor so that the flow of gas to said compressingmechanisms gas inlet and to said volume is through said motor;

whereby said motor may be cooled by the suction gas from the housinginlet.

5. A hermetic refrigeration compressor for an air conditioningrefrigeration system comprising, in combination:

a housing (10) in the form of a closed and sealed shell having a suctiongas inlet (16) and a compressed gas outlet (200);

an electric motor (24) comprising a rotor (36) and stator (34), mountedwithin said housing;

a compressing mechanism (18) of the positive displacement type withinsaid housing and having a driven crank shaft (28) which is driven by therotor of said motor, compressed gas outlet coupled to said housingoutlet and a suction gas inlet;

a plurality of spring mounts (70) for mounting said compressingmechanism and said motor within said housing; and

means (210) for guiding suction gas from said housing inlet to andthrough said motor;

said compressing mechanism and said guide means being cooperativelydisposed so as to have said compressing mechanisms gas inlet as well as5 compressed gas outlet therefrom,

passageways to the volume between said compressing mechanism and saidhousing positioned substantially downstream of said motor;

said compressing mechanism and said motor are mounted in a generallyvertical array;

said spring mounts are connected about the interior walls of saidhousing in a vertical array;

said housing suction gas inlet is inthe upper part of said housing;

said electric motor is mounted atop of said compressing mechanism;

said guide means includes:

a generally dome shaped shroud (38) affixed to said compressingmechanism, covering said motor, and having an opening defined in the topthereof;

a flexible sleeve (220) affixed to said shroud at its said top openingand communicating the interior of said shroud with said suction gasinlet; and

said suction gas inlet having a mating surface (221) for receiving in avertical telescopic manner said flexible sleeve,

whereby said motor may be cooled by the suction gas from the housinginlet.

6. In a hermetic refrigeration compressor of the type having a closedhousing with a suction gas inlet and a a compressing mechanism mountedin the housing and having an output which is coupled to the housingoutlet, and an electric motor also mounted within the housing andcoupled to drive the compressing mechanism and where 0 the compressingmechanism is spring mounted, the improvement comprising:

a conduit mounted between said input and said compressing mechanism andenshrouding said motor, for guiding, during operation, suction gas fromthe housing suction gas inlet to and through the motor prior to the flowof such gas to the compressing mechanism, and

said conduit including a sleeve and a shroud over said motor, whichshroud is connected to said sleeve and to the compressing mechanism, andwhich sleeve and shroud are connected together in a manner allowing fortelescopic movement therebetween,

whereby the electric motor is cooled during operation by the suctiongas.

1. In a hermetic refrigeration compressor of the type having a closedhousing with a suction gas inlet and a compressed gas outlet therefrom,a compressing mechanism mounted in the housing and having an outputwhich is coupled to the housing outlet, and an electric motor alsomounted within the housing and coupled to drive the compressingmechanism and where the compressing mechanism is spring mounted, theimprovement comprising: guide means within said housing for guidingduring operation at least a major part of the suction gas from thehousing suction gas inlet to and through the electric motor prior to theflow of such gas to the compressing mechanism, and said guide meansincluding a flexible gas transfer coupling for absorbing vibration andmovement; said guide means includes a flexible sleeve as said gastransfer coupling, and a shroud over said motor, which shroud isconnected to said sleeve and to the compressing mechanism tosubstantially enclose said motor, whereby the electric motor is cooledduring operation by the suction gas.
 2. The improvement as defined inclaim 1, for a generally vertically disposed hermetic refrigerationcompressor, wherein: said flexible sleeve is mounted generallyvertically and coupled with the housing suction gas inlet for telescopicmotion therewith in response to vertical motion of said sprungcompressing mechanism.
 3. The improvement as defined in claim 2,wherein: said flexible sleeve is of a hollow cylindrical configurationand is constructed of an oil and refrigerant resistant elastomer.
 4. Ahermetic refrigeration compressor for an air conditioning refrigerationsystem comprising, in combination: a housing (10) in the form of aclosed and sealed shell having a suction gas inlet (16) and a compressedgas outlet (200); an electric motor (24) comprising a rotor (36) andstator (34), mounted within said housing; a compressing mechanism (18)of the positive displacement type within said housing and having adriven crank shaft (28) which is driven by the rotor of said motor, acompressed gas outlet coupled to said housing outlet and a suction gasinlet; a plurality of spring mounts (70) for mounting saiD compressingmechanism and said motor within said housing; and a conduit (210, 211)disposed within said housing between said housing inlet and saidcompressing mechanism and enshrouding said motor, said conduit servingto guide, during operation, suction gas from said housing inlet to saidmotor; said compressing mechanism and said conduit being cooperativelydisposed so as to have said compressing mechanism''s gas inlet as wellas passageways to the volume between said compressing mechanism and saidhousing beyond said motor so that the flow of gas to said compressingmechanism''s gas inlet and to said volume is through said motor; wherebysaid motor may be cooled by the suction gas from the housing inlet.
 5. Ahermetic refrigeration compressor for an air conditioning refrigerationsystem comprising, in combination: a housing (10) in the form of aclosed and sealed shell having a suction gas inlet (16) and a compressedgas outlet (200); an electric motor (24) comprising a rotor (36) andstator (34), mounted within said housing; a compressing mechanism (18)of the positive displacement type within said housing and having adriven crank shaft (28) which is driven by the rotor of said motor,compressed gas outlet coupled to said housing outlet and a suction gasinlet; a plurality of spring mounts (70) for mounting said compressingmechanism and said motor within said housing; and means (210) forguiding suction gas from said housing inlet to and through said motor;said compressing mechanism and said guide means being cooperativelydisposed so as to have said compressing mechanism''s gas inlet as wellas passageways to the volume between said compressing mechanism and saidhousing positioned substantially downstream of said motor; saidcompressing mechanism and said motor are mounted in a generally verticalarray; said spring mounts are connected about the interior walls of saidhousing in a vertical array; said housing suction gas inlet is in theupper part of said housing; said electric motor is mounted atop of saidcompressing mechanism; said guide means includes: a generally domeshaped shroud (38) affixed to said compressing mechanism, covering saidmotor, and having an opening defined in the top thereof; a flexiblesleeve (220) affixed to said shroud at its said top opening andcommunicating the interior of said shroud with said suction gas inlet;and said suction gas inlet having a mating surface (221) for receivingin a vertical telescopic manner said flexible sleeve, whereby said motormay be cooled by the suction gas from the housing inlet.
 6. In ahermetic refrigeration compressor of the type having a closed housingwith a suction gas inlet and a compressed gas outlet therefrom, acompressing mechanism mounted in the housing and having an output whichis coupled to the housing outlet, and an electric motor also mountedwithin the housing and coupled to drive the compressing mechanism andwhere the compressing mechanism is spring mounted, the improvementcomprising: a conduit mounted between said input and said compressingmechanism and enshrouding said motor, for guiding, during operation,suction gas from the housing suction gas inlet to and through the motorprior to the flow of such gas to the compressing mechanism, and saidconduit including a sleeve and a shroud over said motor, which shroud isconnected to said sleeve and to the compressing mechanism, and whichsleeve and shroud are connected together in a manner allowing fortelescopic movement therebetween, whereby the electric motor is cooledduring operation by the suction gas.